Former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who has been keeping a low profile for a long time, recently attended the 75th anniversary celebration of the Chinese Communist Party’s establishment. He was seen sitting next to the current CCP leader Xi Jinping, despite existing differences in their political ideologies. Analysts believe that Xi Jinping’s move was aimed at creating a facade of unity within the party to the outside world. Some analysts also suggest that this gesture by Xi Jinping is to some extent an attempt to bring Wen Jiabao closer to him in order to secure his own power.
At the event held in Beijing on September 30th to mark the 75th anniversary of the CCP, Premier Li Keqiang presided over the event, while Xi Jinping delivered a speech. Apart from Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, other members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the CCP, such as Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress Han Zheng, as well as members of the Political Bureau in Beijing were also present.
Notably, sitting at the main table were 15 former members of the CCP’s Political Bureau Standing Committee, including Li Ruihuan, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Lanqing, Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun, He Guoqiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan, and Zhang Gaoli.
Former CCP General Secretaries Hu Jintao, Premier Zhu Rongji, and former Chairman of the National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo were absent from the event.
Footage from the CCP’s mouthpiece media, CCTV News, showed that after 90-year-old former CPPCC Chairman Li Ruihuan and 82-year-old former Premier Wen Jiabao entered the venue, they sat on either side of Xi Jinping. During the event, Wen Jiabao and Xi Jinping interacted frequently.
Retired senior CCP leaders are often referred to as “elders” or “political veterans”. During Hu Jintao’s leadership, Jiang Zemin often intervened in state affairs in public or behind the scenes, essentially undermining Hu Jintao’s authority. Since Xi Jinping took office in 2012, the influence of political elders on the current regime has gradually diminished. They rarely make public appearances unless it is for official major events. Therefore, their presence is often interpreted as sending certain political signals or indicating changes in the political landscape within the CCP.
At this gathering, the seating arrangement of Li Ruihuan and Wen Jiabao on either side of Xi Jinping has drawn widespread attention.
Du Wen, former Executive Director of the Legal Advisory Office of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the CCP residing in Belgium, stated that Xi Jinping’s extraordinary seating arrangement was intended to signal “unity” within the CCP to the outside world.
On October 2nd, Du Wen, in an interview with a Da Ji Yuan journalist, mentioned that Wen Jiabao is widely seen domestically and internationally as being anti-Xi faction, especially during the Beidaihe Conference in August this year where there were rumors that Wen Jiabao had attempted to force Xi Jinping out. Du Wen believes that the seating arrangement where Wen Jiabao sits on the left of Xi Jinping is inappropriate. It is not suitable for a former Premier and General Secretary to sit together; it would have been more reasonable if Hu Jintao occupied that position.
Du Wen suggested that Xi Jinping’s move is, in fact, to have Wen Jiabao endorse him. By having Wen Jiabao sit alongside him at such an important political event, it showcases the so-called “unity and unanimity of the Central Committee.” He further added that attendance at the CCP’s founding celebration is not something Wen Jiabao can casually participate in; it must be arranged by the CCP Central Office and approved by Xi Jinping. This arrangement was personally coordinated by Xi Jinping, and Wen Jiabao had to comply as he dares not offend Xi Jinping.
Under Xi Jinping’s reign, CCP elders are believed to live under strict surveillance. They must go through the arrangements made by the CCP Central Office controlled by Xi’s confidant Cai Qi in order to make public appearances or meet with other high-ranking individuals.
Du Wen expressed: “Xi Jinping is using this method to appease the opposition from within the party’s elders, showing unity within the CCP, which may be his core intention.”
Political analyst Chen Pokong, residing in the United States, recently stated on his social media program that Xi Jinping treating Wen Jiabao with such high regard confirms the power shift that occurred during the CCP’s 20th Third Plenum in July. There were rumors at that time about Xi Jinping suffering a stroke or a serious illness. From the Third Plenum in July to the Beidaihe Conference in August, political veterans actively participated and to a considerable extent intervened in decision-making, indicating a decline in Xi Jinping’s power.
Chen Pokong mentioned that Wen Jiabao is widely regarded as a reformist and anti-Cultural Revolution figure, while Xi Jinping is seen as a supporter of the Cultural Revolution and anti-reformist, forming stark opposition in political ideology and party factions. According to various rumors, Wen Jiabao played a significant role during the Third Plenum in July this year, further boosting his reputation. In such a scenario, Xi Jinping not only dares not move against Wen Jiabao but also needs to please and to some extent win him over to secure his own power.
Wen Jiabao is one of the most vocal voices for political system reform within the top echelons of the CCP, especially in preventing a resurgence of the “Cultural Revolution,” his stance has been particularly prominent.
In 2021, Wen Jiabao penned a lengthy article titled “My Mother,” serialized in four installments from March 25th to April 15th in the Macau Daily. One section of the article emphasized the unprecedented catastrophe brought upon his family by the “Cultural Revolution.” During that time, his father endured immense suffering, frequently subjected to brutal interrogations and beatings.
Subsequently, the article was shared on WeChat public accounts but was quickly banned from being reposted or shared on Moments. WeChat cited a violation of its “Operational Norms for WeChat Public Platforms”; content that had already been reposted by some media outlets and platforms was completely removed.
Wen Jiabao stepped down as Premier in March 2013. Prior to relinquishing his position as Premier, Wen Jiabao publicly stated that the mistakes of the “Cultural Revolution” had not been completely rectified. He believed that without successful political system reform, historical tragedies like the “Cultural Revolution” could recur.
Wen Jiabao has been dubbed the “biggest reformist within the CCP.” In his final government work report before stepping down, he stressed the need to change the situation of excessive concentration of power without constraints at the institutional level. This was seen as his dissatisfaction with Xi Jinping’s approach.
After consolidating his power, Xi Jinping began gradually halting reforms. He not only abolished the term limits for the President of China but also strengthened political control in various spheres under the guise of national security. Since the 18th National Congress of the CCP, he has vigorously promoted and advanced the “Fengqiao Experience” initiated by former CCP leader Mao Zedong of “mobilizing the masses to fight against each other.” It is widely believed that Chinese society has made a complete left turn, heading towards a regression to the era of the “Cultural Revolution,” while Wen Jiabao has consistently opposed a return to the Mao era.